Combined school desk and seat.



T. KUNDTZ. COMBINED SCHOOL DESK AND SEAT. APPLICATION FILED PEB.18,1909.

Patented May 10, 1910.

SSHEETS-SHEET 1.

Y Mime T. KUNDTZ. GOMBINEDSGHOOL DESK AND SEAT.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.18, 1909.

' 957,426., Patented May 10,1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ANDREW R GRAHAM 20 PEDTO-UTNOGRAPHEBs, WASHINGTON. V 0

T.- KUNDTZ. COMBINED SCHOOL DESK AND SEAT.

APPLICATION FILED FEBJS, 1909.

' Patented May 10, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

" I el/Q52" TTED STATES PATENT OFFTQOE.

THEODOR KUNDTZ, OF LAKEWOOD, OHIO.

COMBINED SCHOOL DESK AND SEAT.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODOR KUNDTZ, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, re siding at Lakewood, in the county of Guyahoga and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CombinedSchool Desks and Seats; and I hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to combined school-desks and seats, andparticularly to that type wherein the desk and the seat and itsback-rest are adjustable up and down, and wherein the seat is adjustabletoward and from the desk and the latter from and toward the seat.

One of the objects of this invention is the provision of a combinedschool-desk and seat having a construction such that the desk and theseat may be adjusted up and down and laterally with respect to eachother from one side of the desk and wherein the lateral adjustment ofthe movements of the seat and the desk toward and away from each otherare divided or distributed between the said parts by providing in eachside frame or standard two guideways for a seat-supporting bracket and adesk-supporting bracket, respectively, both of which guldeways areinclined and converge upwardly.

A further object is to be able to adjust the seat and the desk and toclamp them in adjusted positions, from one and the same side of thedesk.

A further object is the provision of an adjusting and clamping mechanismwhich is strong, durable and effective.

A still further object is the provision of a combined school-desk andseat not only with simple and efiicient adjusting and clamping mechanismbut to render the whole durable and. attractive in appearance.

lVith these objects in view, and to the end of realizing otheradvantages hereinafter appearing, this invention consists in certainnovel details of construction, and combinations and arrangements ofparts, hereinafter described, pointed out in the claims and illustratedin the accompanying drawings.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a combinedschool-desk and seat constructed in accordance with my inven-Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 18, 1909.

Patented May 10, 1916.

Serial No. 478,679.

tion. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially alongthe line 22, Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrow,and portions are broken away in Fig. 2 to reduce the size of thedrawing. Fig. 3 is a partial vertical section taken substan tially alongthe line 33 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrow.Fig. 1 is a section taken through part of the adjusting and clampingmechanism, the section being taken substantially along the line t 1 ofFig. 2, looking inwardly. Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are vertical sections on line5-5, line 66 and line 77, respectively, Fig. 2, looking outwardly. Fig.1 is drawn on a smaller scale than the succeeding figures.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, 10 and 10 representrespectively two similar supporting cast-iron frames or standards forthe combined school-desk and seat, each of these standards being cast inone integral piece and, as here shown, having a shape like a letter A.Each standard has two inclined legs 11 and 12 which converge upwardlyand at the lower ends are adapted to restupon the floor (not shown). Onthe inner face or side of each standard (see Figs. 2, 3 and 5) are tworecesses or guideways 14 and 15 for receiving slides or brackets to behereinafter referred to, which guideways are inclined and converge orslope toward each other in the direction of the upper end of thestandard, and these guideways are formed in the legs 11 and 12 by outerupwardly converging ridges or flanges 16 and 17 formed on the legs 11and 12 respectively and by inner upwardly con verging ridges or flanges1S and 19 formed on the legs 11 and 12 respectively, said flanges 18 and19 meeting at their upper ends and there forming an upwardly pointinglug or projection 20. The said guideways 14 and 15 open into each otherabove the said lug 20. The legs 11 and 12 of each standard are providedbetween the flanges forming the guideways 14 and 15 of the said standardwith laterally and outwardly offset portions 21 and 22 respectively,said offset portions extending up and down the legs and forming runwaysfor pinions to be described later. Each offset portion of each standardhas an elongated slot 23 extending up and down the said offset portion,and one of the internal side walls of each of the said oifset portionsis provided with teeth spaced up and down thereof to form a stationaryrack-bar or rack 25 which is consequently arranged up and down the saidstandard.

Engaging the guideways 1 1 of the forward legs of the two standards arebrackets for the seat and its back-rest, said brackets havingrespectively an upwardly projecting arm 26 to which the back-rest 27 issecured in any suitable manner, and having also re spectively adownwardly and thence upwardly curved arm 28 from which the seat 29 issupported. Each standard has its flange 18 engaged by one of the sideedges of one of the said brackets and this bracket is provided with aninclined groove 30 (shown very clearly in Figs. 2 and 3) which engagesthe flange 16 of the said standard and extends up and down through thebracket, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

Engaging the inclined guideways 15 in the rear legs 12 of the twostandards are two desk-supporting slides or brackets 31 having upwardlyand rearwardly projecting arms to which the desk 32 is suitably secured.Each of the brackets 31 is provided with an inclined edge which engagesthe inner side of the flange 19 of the corresponding standard and withan inclined groove 33 (shown very clearly in Figs. 2 and 3) which.engages or receives the flange 17 of the said standard and extends upand down through the bracket, as shown in dotted lines, Fi g. 3.

The mechanism for adjusting and for clamping the brackets .in theiradjusted positions will now be explained. Extending horizontally betweenthe forward legs 11 of the two standards and loosely through the twosupporting brackets for the seat and its back-rest and through the slots23 of the forward legs of the standards, is a solid shaft 35 whichcarries or supports the said brackets. Extending horizontally betweenthe two rear legs 12 of the standards and loosely through the twodesk-supporting brackets 31 and through the slots 23 in the said rearlegs is a second solid shaft 36. Each shaft is provided at one end atthe outer side of the standard 10 with an integral polygonal head 37,and the said shaft is screw-threaded at the opposite end and thereprovided with a clamping nut 38 at the outer side of standard 11. Eachshaft is provided near its head 37 with a pinion 39 located in therunway formed by the elongated adjacent offset portion (21 or 22 as thecase may be) of the standard 10, and intermediate the inner face or sideof the standard 10 and the outer sides of the adjacent brackets thepinions 39 engage with racks 25 formed on the said stand ard ash-ereinbefore described. Near its threaded end each shaft is providedwith a pinion 41-0 which is located in the runway formed by theelongated adjacent offset portion (21 or 22 as the case may be) ofstandard 10 and intermediate the inner face or side of the said standard10 and the outer sides of the adjacent brackets the pinions 41:0 engagewith racks 25 formed on the said standard as hereinbefore described.

The pinions 39 are provided with hubs 11 which project outwardly beyondthe outer side of the standard 10 through the slots 2:1 in the standardand the pinions 40 are provided with hubs 42 which extend outwardlybeyond the outer side of the standard l0 through the slots 23 in thisstandard, the outer end portion of each hub of each pinion having twoopposite flat parallel sides or faces 52, the purpose of which will beexplained presently. Each of the shafts and 36 is provided adjacent itsintegral head 37 with a washer 43 located intermediate the said head,and the outer side of the standard 10, which washer is mounted on thehub -11 of the adjacent pinion 39 and internally conforms to and engagesthe flattened faces 52 of the said hub and has a socket or recess 53which receives and internally conforms to the said head. The said sockettherefore has a polygonal shape corresponding to the polygonal shape ofthe said head and is of such size that the said head will fit nicelywithin the socket but can not turn within and independently of thesocket. The said socket therefore has a polygonal shape corresponding tothe polygonal shape of the said head, and is of a size such that thehead will fit nicely therein, but can not turn within and independentlyof the socket.

The pinions 39 are not keyed to the shafts or otherwise secured directlythereto, but are operatively connected with the shafts by theconstruction ust described,-namely, by means of the washers 13 whichpartially inclose the heads of the shafts and rotate therewith and whichengage also the flattened faces 52 of the hubs of the pinions 39 so thatthe pinions must rotate with the 'ashers which are operatively connectedand must therefore rotate with the shafts. lVith this arrangement andconstruction are obtained strong and durable driving connections betweenthe pinions 39 and the shafts.

Between each nut 38 and the outer side of the standard 10 is located awasher 4% which is mounted on the hub 42 of the adjacent pinion 4:0 andengages and internally conforms to the flattened faces 52 of the hub soas to cause the said pinion, and consequently the shaft bearing the saidpinion, to rotate with the said washer upon turning the washer by meansof a wrench or otherwise after loosening the said nut. Each pinion -10to establish operative connection between it and the shaft having thesaid pinion is provided internally with a recess engaged by a lug 56formed on the shaft, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5.

It will be observed that when the nuts 38 are tightened the bracketswill be clamped tightly to the standards, and when the nuts 38 areloosened the shafts can be rotated by applying a wrench or other tool tothe wash ers 44 which, as stated before must rotate with the shafts onaccount of the flattened portions of the pinion-hubs upon which the nutsare mounted. With this construction, therefore, the seat and the deskcan be adjusted and can be tightened in any adjusted position from oneside of the desk and, at the same time, very strong and durableadjusting and clamping mechanism is provided. It is apparent also thatwith the above described construction, the different parts of theadjusting and clamping mechanism can be easily assembled or taken apart.

A wooden bar 45 extends substantially horizontally between and isconnected at its ends to the seat-supporting brackets, being preferablyremovably secured by means of screws 19 to lugs l? which are formed onthe said brackets at the inner sides of the brackets. Another wooden bar46 extends between and is connected at its ends to the desk-supportingbrackets, being preferably removably secured by means of screws 50 tolugs a8 which are formed on the said brackets at the inner sides of thebrackets. The bars 45 and 46 partially inclose and extend longitudinallyof the shafts 35 and 36 respectively, and are provided in their adjacentsides with slots or recesses 54 which extend from end to end of the barsand receive the shafts and thereby practically conceal the latter fromView. That is, the bars 45 and d6 are so arranged relative to the shafts35 and 36 respectively that the bars cover the outer sides of the shaftsand extend over and under the shafts. By this construction the metalshafts do not require polishing or finishing to render them sightly,because the wooden bars 45 and 4% are susceptible of a finishcorresponding with the finish of the desk and the seat and its backrestso that the whole structure may be rendered more attractive inappearance. The bars also protect the shafts in that they prevent pupilsand j anitors from knocking against the shafts with their feet orotherwise and thereby springing the shafts.

It will be observed also that by having the guideways l4: and 15 of eachstandard not only converging upwardly but meeting at their upper ends soas to form the wedgesha-ped lug 20 between them the seat-bearing bracketand the desk-carrying bracket at each side of my improved combinedschooldesk and seat are brought as close together as possible so thatthe sides of the standards may be reduced to a minimum.

lVhat I claim is 1. In combination, in a combined schooldesk and seat, apair of laterally spaced standards, each having on its inner side twoinclined guideways which converge upwardly and are arranged the oneforward of the other, each standard having an up wardly pointingwedge-shaped lug between the upper portions of the guideways; a seat andback-rest for the seat: brackets supporting the seat and its back-restand arranged to be adjusted along the forward guideways of thestandards; a desk; desk-supporting b ackets arranged to be adjustedalong the rear guideways of the standards, and means for clamping andadjusting the positions of the brackets.

2. The combination, in a combined schooldesk and seat, with twolaterally spaced standards, a pair of brackets which are ar ranged atthe inner sides of the different standards respectively and adjustableup and down the standards; a solid shaft arranged horizontally andextending between the standards and through and supporting the bracketsand through and a suitable distance beyond the outer sides of the standards, said shaft being provided at one end and a suitable distance fromthe outer side of one of the standards with a head and at its oppositeend and at the outer side of the other standard being screw-threaded; acorrespondingly threaded nut mounted on the threaded end of the shaft asuitable dis tance from the outer side of the adjacent standard; apinion mounted on the shaft and arranged at the inner side of thestandard which is adjacent the head, said pinion having a hub projectingoutwardly through and a suitable distance beyond the outer side of thelast-mentioned standard toward the said head and provided with a flatside; a washer intermediate the shaft-head and the adjacent standard andmounted on the said hub, said washer having such a connec tion with theshaft-head that the shaft can not turn independently of the pinion;another pinion operatively mounted on the shaft and arranged at theinner side of the standard which is adjacent the aforesaid nut; a washerinterposed between the nut and the outer side of the last-mentionedstandard, and racks rigid with the standards and engaging with thepinions at one and the same side of the shaft, and the standards beingslotted to accommodate the location and shifting of the shaft during areadjustment of the brackets.

3. The combination, in a combined desk and seat, with two laterallyspaced standards; a pair of brackets which are arranged at the innersides of the different standards respectively and adjustable up and downthe standards; a solid shaft arranged horizontally and extending betweenthe standards and through and supporting the brackets and through and asuitable distance beyond the outer sides of the standards, said shaftbeing provided at one end and a suitable distance from the outer sideschoolof one of the standards with an integral polygonal head and at itsopposite end and at the outer side of the other standard beingscrew-tln'eaded; a correspondingly threaded nut mounted on the threadedend of the shaft a suitable distance from the outer side of the adjacentstandard; a pinion mounted on the shaft and arranged adjacent the headof theshaft and at the inner side of the standard which is adjacent thehead, said pinion having a hub projecting outwardly through and asuitable distance beyond the outer side of the last-mentioned standardtoward the said head and provided with flat sides; a washer intermediatethe shaft-head and the adjacent standard and mounted on the said hub,said washer having a member which embraces and internally conforms tothe shafthead; another pinion operatively mounted on the shaft andarranged at the inner side of the standard which is adjacent theaforesaid nut; a washer interposed be tween the nut and the outer sideof the lastinentioned standard, and racks rigid with the standards andengaging with the pinions at one and the same side of the shaft, and thestandards being slotted to accommo date the location and shifting of theshaft during a readjustment of the brackets.

4. The combination, in a combined schooldesk and seat, with twolaterally spaced standards; a pair of brackets which are arranged at theinner sides of the different standards respectively and adjustable upand down the standards; a solid shaft arranged horizontally andextending between the standards and through and supporting the bracketsand through and a suitable distance beyond the outer sides of thestandards, said shaft being provided at one end and a suitable distancefrom the outer side of one of the standards with a head and at itsopposite end and at the outer side of the other standard beingscrew-tln'eaded; a correspondingly threaded nut mounted on the threadedend of the shaft a suitable distance from the outer side of the adjacentstandard; a pinion mounted on the shaftand ar 'anged at the inner sideof the standard adjacent the head, said pinion being operativelyconnected with the shaft; a washer intern'iediate the shaft-head and theadjacent standard; another pinion operatively mounted on the shaft andarranged at the inner side of the standard which is adjacent theaforesaid nut and having a hub which projects through and a suitabledistance outwardly beyond the outer side of the said standard, said hubhaving a fiat side; a washer mounted on the said hub between the nut andthe outer side of the last-mentioned standard and internally conformingto and engaging the fiat side of the hub, and racks rigid with thestandards at one and the same side of the shaft, and the standards beingslotted to accommodate the location and shifting of the shaft during areadjustment of the brackets.

5. The combination, in a combined schooldesk and seat, with twolaterally spaced standards; a pair of brackets which are arranged at theinner sides of the different standards respectively and. adjustable upand down the standards; a shaft arranged horizontally and extendingbetween the standards and through and supporting the brackets andthrough and a suitable distance beyond the outer sides of the standards,said shaft being provided at one end and a suitable distance from theouter side of one of the standards with a polygonal head and at itsopposite end and at the outer side of the other standard beingscrewthreaded; a correspondingly threaded nut mounted on the threadedend of the shaft a suitable distance from the outer side of the adjacentstandard; a pinion mounted on the shaft and arranged adjacent the headof the shaft and at the inner side of the standard adjacent the head,said pinion having a hub projecting outwardly through and a suitabledistance beyond the outer side of the last-mentioned standard toward thesaid head and provided with flat sides; a washer intermediate theshaft-head and the adjacent standard and mounted on the said hub, saidwasher having a member which embraces and internally conforms to theshaft-head; another pinion operatively mounted on the shaft and arrangedat the inner side of the standard which is adjacent the aforesaid nutand having a hub which projects through and a suitable distanceoutwardly beyond the outer side of the said standard, said hub havingflat sides; a washer mounted on the last-mentioned hub between the nutand the outer side of the last-mentioned standard and internally conforming to and engaging the flat sides of the hub, and racks rigid withthe standards at one and the same side of the shaft, and the standardsbeing slotted to accommodate the location and shifting of the shaftsduring a readjustment of the brackets.

G. The combination, in a combined schooldesk and seat, with twolaterally spaced standards, two brackets arranged adjacent the differentstandards respectively, a. shaft arranged substantially horizontally andextending between the standards and supporting the brackets, meanswhereby the shaft is raised or lowered according as the shaft is turnedin the one direction or the other, and means whereby the shaft issecured in the desired adjustment, of a bar extending between thebrackets and connected at the ends to the brackets, said bar beingrecessed longitudinally to receive the shaft.

7. The combination, in a combined schooldesk and seat, with twolaterally spaced standards, two brackets arranged adjacent the differentstandards respectively, a shaft arranged substantially horizontally andextending between the standards and supporting the brackets, meanswhereby the shaft is raised or lowered according as the shaft is andmeans whereby the shaft is secured in the desired adjustment, of a barextending between the brackets and secured at the ends to the brackets,said bar extending along the shaft and around one side and over andunder the shaft.

8. The combination, in a combined schooldesk and seat, with twolaterally spaced standards; two brackets arranged at the inner side ofthe difierent standards respectively, a shaft arranged substantiallyhorizontally and extending between the standards and through andsupporting the brackets, means whereby the shaft is raised or loweredaccording as the shaft is turned in the one direct-ion or the other, andmeans whereby the shaft is secured in the desired adjustment, of awooden bar extending between the brackets and connected at the ends tothe brackets, said bar extending along and partially inclosing the shaftcircumferentially of the shaft.

9. In a combined school-desk and seat, the combination, with twolaterally spaced standards, each having on its inner side two upwardlyconverging guideways; a seat; brackets supporting the seat and engagingthe forward guideways of the standards; a desk; brackets supporting thedesk and engaging the rear guideways of the standards, and means foradjusting said brackets and for holding the same in adjusted positions,said means comprising two shafts, one extending between and bearing theseat-supporting brackets, and the other extending between and bearingthe desksupporting brackets, of a bar arranged between and connected atthe ends to the desksupporting brackets and extending along andpartially around the shaft supporting the said brackets, and another bararranged between and connected at the ends to the seat-supportingbrackets and extending along and partially around the shaft bearturnedin the one direction or the other,

ing the last-mentioned brackets, said bars being so arranged relativelyto the shafts that the latter are received within the adjacent portionsof the bars.

10. In a combined school-desk and seat, the combination, with twolaterally spaced standards, each having on its inner side two upwardlyconverging guideways; a seat; brackets supporting the seat and engagingthe forward guideways of the standards; a desk; brackets supporting thedesk and en gaging the rear guideways of the standards, and means foradjusting said brackets and for holding the same in adjusted positions,said means comprising two shafts, one extending between and bearing theseat-supporting brackets, and the other extending between and bearingthe desk-supporting brackets, of a bar extending along the shaft whichbears the desk-supporting brackets and attached to the latter andprovided with a recess which extends from end to end of the bar andreceives the said shaft, and another bar extending along the shaft whichbears the seat-supporting brackets and attached to the latter andprovided with a recess which extends from end to end of the bar andreceives the last-mentioned shaft, said bars being so arrangedrelatively to the shafts that the latter are received within theadjacent portions of the bars.

In testimony whereof I sign the foregoing specification, in the presenceof two witnesses.

THEODOR KUNDTZ.

-Witnesses C. H. Donna, B. 0. BROWN.

